In this awesome episode, operations expert and founder of Love for Systems, Arian Hargrove, takes over the Systems Saved Me® podcast to challenge everything you thought you knew about SOPs. With 30+ years of experience, Arian shares how generic documentation may be the very thing holding your team—and business—back. She breaks down the four most common SOP pitfalls, offers real-life client case studies, and lays out a practical framework for building SOPs that drive clarity, ownership, and scale. Whether you’re onboarding your first VA or running a million-dollar business, this episode will help you transform your SOPs from static documents into strategic tools.

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TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 – Introduction by Jordan Gill and handoff to Arian Hargrove of Love for Systems.

1:47 – Why SOPs are often ineffective: Arian’s origin story and mission.

4:52 – The hidden cost of poorly built SOPs—from missed opportunities to team confusion.

6:39 – Client story: “Danielle” and the discovery that checklists aren’t systems.

9:12 – The 4 SOP pitfalls: No accountability, no strategic connection, no checks or controls, and no operational alignment.

18:27 – The 3 pillars of scalable SOPs: strategic alignment, process integrity, and operational maturity.

22:54 – Case study: How 3 SOPs helped Jasmine’s team cut delivery time by 40% and run independently.

25:04 – The SOP Power Audit: a 3-step method to immediately improve any system.